Twitter bans far-right activist for violating rules

Twitter has permanently banned far-right activist Laura Loomer for her tweet criticising Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota Democratic Representative-elect, and her Muslim faith.

Loomer was banned for violating Twitter rules regarding "hateful conduct", Mic.com reported on Thursday.

Omar is one of the first Muslim women to be elected to US Congress.

"Isn't it ironic how the twitter moment used to celebrate awomen, LGBTQ, and minorities' is a picture of Ilhan Omar?" Loomer tweeted.

The later part of her tweet where she termed Omar as "anti-Jewish" got her permanently banned from the micro-blogging platform.

"The reason I was suspended was simply for telling the truth, the truth about Ilhan Omar," Loomer defended herself in a YouTube video.

"I've been silenced in America. I've been silenced as a journalist for reporting the truth. It's egregious. And so what I need all of you to do is to subscribe to my website."

Twitter replied: "You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease".

Loomer's Twitter account had over 260,000 followers before the ban.

--IANS

na/ksk